Loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing and stomach ache in terminal prostate cancer

Hi Wifee27d62, 

My name is Amy and I am one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line. Welcome to our online community and thanks for posting your question.

We’re sorry to hear your husband is having such a difficult time with his digestive system, it’s only natural to feel frustrated and distressed by it all.

It’s reassuring you are well supported by the palliative care team who have tried lots of things to better manage the symptoms. Sometimes it can be difficult to resolve the symptoms completely, but the hope is to make him a bit more comfortable and improve his daily quality of life.

Digestive issues can be caused by many different things, but the treatments you describe commonly cause digestive issues. These can resolve after completing treatment, last for several weeks or months or for some people they can develop months or even years down the line, and these are known as late effects. So, your husband is not alone in experiencing these symptoms.

There is a dedicated charity Pelvic Radiation Disease Association (PRDA) that have information, best practice pathways and offer support to patients and relatives as well as to health professionals. You could ask the Palliative Care Team if they are aware of these resources in case there is something they have not yet tried. Many hospitals now run late effects clinics, there can be a strict referral criteria so the GP/Palliative care team would be able to advise if he is eligible for this referral.

We also have a booklet managing the bowel late effects of pelvic radiotherapy you may find useful to read through. World Cancer Research Fund have a cancer and nutrition helpline and Penny Brohn offer a range of support and information around cancer wellbeing, for example eating well when eating becomes difficult. You can book a welcome session to find out more about the services they offer.

Supporting a loved one can be extremely rewarding and emotionally and physically exhausting at the same time. It’s important to make sure you are looking after yourself too.

We often find we can help more by exploring these questions over the phone. If this is something you think would help, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch via our support line on 0808 808 0000. We are available 7 days a week, 8am-8pm.

Within our online community we also have several forums you might find useful to explore, for example our radiotherapy & side effects forum and family and friends forum.

I hope this helps. Please don’t hesitate to reach back out to us if you need any further support.

Best wishes, 

Amy C, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. 

Ref: AC/AMc